Not Long Enough
by XxNeonShadowsxX
Summary: Wally takes a bullet for Artemis, and both of them realize the time they have together isn't long enough.


**A/N **Short idea I came up with while listening to "Live Like We're Dying". It seems really depressing, but...it's happier near the end, I promise.

**Disclaimer **I don't own Wally, Artemis, or the song this is based off of. Or anything, really. *sigh* I wish...

-Aiva

* * *

Wally could only see the barrel of the gun pointed at Artemis. His focus narrowed, seconds stretching into minutes as the trigger was pulled back. Without hesitation, the redhead threw himself in front of the bullet that was speeding towards the archer.

Artemis heard a dull thump from behind her as something fell to the ground. She whirled around, grey eyes narrowed as she prepared herself to lash out. Then she noticed Wally, crimson blood staining the yellow fabric of his costume. Dread coursing through her, she knelt down beside the fallen speedster. "No…c'mon Wally, you'll be okay," she murmured, face tightening slightly, the only outward sign of the fear that was now coursing heavily through her.

Wally let out a small sound of pain as Artemis's fingers lightly brushed the bullet wound. "Artemis…" he gasped out, face scarily pale.

"Shhh," Artemis scolded lightly as she mentally contacted M'gann, informing the team of their situation. "Don't speak, okay? I-it's going to be fine, we just need to-"

"Artemis," he repeated, grimacing as the word left him. He pressed his hand over the wound gingerly, noting the position; near the bottom of his ribcage, quite possibly fatal. "Are you okay?" he managed to get out. The archer nodded quickly as she pulled off her gloves and pressed them over the wound, struggling to slow the awful blood flow. "Yeah. Now shut up," she responded, face tight with worry, lips pressed into a hard, thin line.

"Good…it's better this way," Wally coughed, wincing as he did so and letting out another sound of pain. "Don't want to…want to watch you…die again," he added weakly, voice fading. Artemis couldn't help but notice the distant look beginning to form in his green eyes. "Stay with me, Wally," she pleaded, too focused on the dying speedster to care about the thugs escaping. She gripped his hand tightly, afraid to let go. "I'm not going to watch you die either."

"You know…there's only…86,400 seconds…in a day," Wally wheezed. Artemis briefly wondered if the redhead's mind was clouded from blood loss.

"That's great, Wally," Artemis responded tightly, voice laced with worry. "Now shut up."

"That's…that's forever to…to a speedster," Wally mumbled, ignoring her. "Too short now," he added in a rasping voice.

"Shut up!" Artemis repeated sharply. "You're going to be okay. The team is coming, and-"

She was interrupted by Wally shaking his head. "I'm dying," he said simply. Artemis was surprised to find tears stinging her eyes. "No! You're not! You're going to be fine!" she insisted stubbornly, her jaw set and stubborn even as her hands trembled.

"Tell Robin…he was the best friend I…I could've asked for," Wally forced out, each breath painful and difficult. Artemis cut him off before he could say anymore. "Stop! You can tell him yourself, you're going to be fine," she argued.

"And…" Wally continued painfully, ignoring the desperation in the archer's voice, "I want you to know…that I…that I love you." The tears finally spilled over as Artemis squeezed the speedster's hand.

"I love you too, Baywatch," she responded gently. Wally gave a small smile, which looked completely out of place considering the situation. "I'm dying," Wally repeated, feeling the way his breaths rattled, each one jerked harshly out of his chest.

"Quit saying that!" Artemis said loudly, her voice near a shout. Wally looked at her, a new light shining in his green eyes. "Better me…than you," he whispered, his eyes drifting shut. Artemis allowed a small sob to escape her as she struggled to wake Wally. "Wake up, Wally," she pleaded. "Stay with me, okay?" But her words fell on deaf ears.

Wally was right. Just 86,400 seconds in a day was far too short. It wasn't fair, that because of the tough walls in between them, they had never gotten to say I love you enough. She had never recognized how much Wally had meant to her, refusing to admit it to even herself. But now…well, it was true that you never know a good thing until it's gone. And it was sad that it took them until he was dying for her to truly start living.

The team arrived, but it was too late. _"No," _Artemis thought firmly, _"it's never too late." _Grasping Wally's hand, she refused to accept that the redheaded speedster might just be gone. He was an idiot sometimes, but he was _her _idiot. And that bond couldn't just be broken; it would last. It had to last.

* * *

"Artemis?" Wally mumbled. Immediately, the blonde archer was at his side. Confused for a moment, the redhead noticed the hospital sheets tucked around him, the IV in his arm, and the bandages wrapped around his chest and stomach. An expression of overwhelming relief immediately lit up Artemis's face, and she gave him a small smile. "Artemis, what happened?" the redhead asked.

"Don't you remember?" Artemis asked. Wally shook his head, and the archer hesitated. "You got shot. You're okay now," she finally said, leaving out how bad it had been. Some things just didn't need to be remembered. Artemis leaned forward and kissed him briefly. Wally stared her, confused but elated. Did…Artemis Crock really just kiss him? Why? What exactly had happened to make the normally tough-as-rock archer act like this? "What was that for?" he finally asked, unsure of how else to respond, his mind seeming to cease all important brain functions.

Artemis stayed silent for a moment. Wally had survived, thanks to some quick surgery and nothing short of a miracle, and she wasn't going to let this time she had with him slip away again. This time, it would be different. Every second would be spent as if they were dying; Wally deserved nothing less.

"Just…sometimes 86,400 seconds isn't long enough," Artemis responded.

* * *

**A/N **Yay, I didn't kill them off! *cough* Sorry for the semi-crappy ending, but most of this was written at 3 AM, so...yeah. Anywho, reviews are greatly appreciated!

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